Considering David Bell | Steve Mancuso

The latest in the Reds manager search from Dick Williams (per John Fay) this afternoon is that the team has contacted Eduardo Perez, but he isnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t scheduled for an interview. The end of the month is still the target date to get a new manager in place. TheyÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ll work through this round of interviews before considering expanding the list.

David Bell is widely reported to be one of the candidates. Bell had a 12-year major league career as a third baseman, from 1995 to 2006. As a player, he spent time in the NL and AL. He won a pennant with the San Francisco Giants and has experience in the postseason. BellÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s name has also appeared on the Toronto Blue JaysÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ list of possible manager hires.

More biography: Since retiring as player, the 45-year-old Bell has compiled an impressive and broad resume. He managed the Reds AA-Carolina Mudcats affiliate from 2009-2011. Then Bell managed the AAA-Louisville Bats in 2012.

For the 2013 season, Theo Epstein hired Bell as the Chicago Cubs third base coach. The analytics-centric Cardinals poached Bell from the Cubs to be their hitting coach in 2014. A year later, the Cardinals promoted Bell to be Mike Matheny’s bench coach, a job he kept for three seasons, 2015-2017. Last year, the San Francisco Giants pried Bell away from St. Louis with an offer to be the Giants VP of Player Development.

Melissa Lockard (The Athletic): In speaking with various minor league coaches over the past few years, several have noted to me the change in how the millennial or modern-day baseball player relates to coaching, that they want more of a collaborative effort rather than a top-down style of coaching. You had a pretty young team with the Cardinals last year. Have you seen a change in how ballplayers today want to relate to their coaches?

David Bell: I do. And what an opportunity that presents. To be a part of that and to be involved in such an exciting day and age where that can be the approach and that can be OK is pretty special. Going into this role, I plan to learn a lot more from the players than they are going to learn from me. If I can take that approach, I think amazing things can happen.

Bell has been asked a number of times what he thinks of the new data and analytical approaches available. Given Bell’s reputation as a hard-nosed player, his answer may surprise you:

But listen to Bell now, as vice president of player personnel. Hear the 45-year-old sing the virtues of data, which he and a minor-league hierarchy featuring a dozen new hires will incorporate into every facet of modernizing and running a Giants system that has slumped recently in delivering players to the major-league club.

Ã¢â‚¬Å“ThereÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s incredible information, and it has to factor into everything we do,Ã¢â‚¬Â Bell said during an interview at the GiantsÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ minor-league spring headquarters. Ã¢â‚¬Å“ItÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s there. If we donÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t access, utilize and implement that information, weÃ¢â‚¬â„¢re going to fall behind.Ã¢â‚¬Â

Bell stressed the need for Ã¢â‚¬Å“balance,Ã¢â‚¬Â but in the next breath he said that information is Ã¢â‚¬Å“an incredible tool that weÃ¢â‚¬â„¢re going to factor into every decision we make, whether itÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s game strategy to performance to sports science.Ã¢â‚¬Â

Ã¢â‚¬Å“WeÃ¢â‚¬â„¢re not going to turn away from any potential edge we can create, and the information is the edge.Ã¢â‚¬Â

Bell was not just talking about swing planes and spin rates, but also biometrics and sleep patterns, nutrition and psychology. If a minor-leaguer is struggling, the staff will not just look at video, but ask the player if everything is all right at home and what he is eating. Minor-leaguers will do yoga for physical and spiritual well-being.

Ã¢â‚¬Å“WeÃ¢â‚¬â„¢re going to support them in every way possible,Ã¢â‚¬Â Bell said. Ã¢â‚¬Å“WeÃ¢â‚¬â„¢re not going to leave any stone unturned. We have incredible resources and we are going to use everyone to develop that player holistically in every way possible.Ã¢â‚¬Â (Henry Schulman, San Francisco Chronicle, thanks to Grant Freking for bringing this article to my attention this morning)

Bell was asked about analytics-based managing by Melissa Lockard in The Athletic interview. His response was interesting, particularly where he talks about his immersion for three years as bench coach with the Cardinals:

Lockard: Advanced metrics and new technology, like Trackman and Statcast, have brought a whole new layer of information for teams to access in order to evaluate their players. How much did you use that kind of information with St. Louis or elsewhere, and do you plan to utilize it with the Giants?

Bell: I know it will be used a lot. I have taken a real interest over the last four or five years in learning and researching and asking questions. I have a lot to learn still, but I certainly see it as an amazing tool that can open our minds to new ways of teaching, new ways of seeing the game.

Up until five years ago, I really didnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t know much about it. [Note: That was his time with the Reds.] Fortunately, over the past five years, I was in a position where I was looked to to be the point person to ask questions and get information and supply that information to front office and staff and players. It was a tremendous learning experience.

I think in my last role as a bench coach, it just sort of scratched the surface. In this role in player development there is an even bigger opportunity. We continue to learn new things each and every day. ThatÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s something thatÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s really important to me, having a mindset and having people around me that have a mindset that we are going to get all of the information that we can. Some of it we may not use, but we are going to be open to finding the best approach in every situation.

To have factual information. To have statistics. To have all of the different types of information that is out there. To have that and to utilize that is incredible, and another part of todayÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s game that we are fortunate to be a part of.

Lockard: In looking at your bench coach role, how much did having that kind of information change the pregame preparation as compared to when you were playing?

Bell: Oh, it did. It changed a lot. It still takes an open mind. You can have the information and you can choose to use it or not. IÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ve seen both. I have seen it utilized and taken in and used for practice and used to develop game plans and to have better ways to practice. IÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ve seen it incorporated in the daily schedule.

Really, it goes beyond that, too. If you think about it, one of the greatest challenges that we have as baseball players is our schedule and the grind of our schedule. There is incredible information that is out there now that we can utilize to properly rest our players. Constantly have rest and recovery on our minds to stay strong and healthy.

I think that is one area that baseball, in general, has a ton of room for improvement. How do we have all of this information and guys are still getting hurt at such a high rate? Putting a dent into that would be a great goal because there is just nothing more important than keeping players on the field.

Beyond managing four years in the Reds system, David BellÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s “Cincinnati Connection” ticket is fully punched. Bell grew up here in town, playing for a Moeller High School State Championship team. His grandfather Gus Bell played outfield for the Reds from 1953-1961 and was named to four All-Star teams. David BellÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s father, Buddy Bell played a few years 1985-88 for the Reds, while putting together a 66-WAR career, winning six Gold Gloves and earning five All Star Game appearances. Buddy Bell works in the Reds front office now.

When David Bell managed the club’s minor league affiliates, it was widely and openly discussed that he was being groomed to someday become the Reds manager. That was when Walt Jocketty was in control of the Reds.

To be sure, the minor league teams Bell managed for the Reds didnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t win. But that’s not a great way to evaluate minor league managers. Team talent varies and fluctuates throughout the season based on the needs of the major league club.

Beyond that, David Bell isn’t that guy any more.

Like the players he’s in charge of, Bell has developed. He’s immersed himself in analytics and the waves of brand new information available to help baseball teams win. He has worked in two organizations — the Cubs and Cardinals — that eat, breathe and sleep modern approaches to baseball. The day-to-day experience as bench coach for the Cardinals is a strong credential for Bell that postdates his time in Cincinnati.

All that said, this post isnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t a campaign for David Bell. It’s not even a modest call for him to be hired.

John Farrell may be a superior candidate. So might any number of other, yet unknown and unconsidered, applicants.

Here’s the point: It would be wrong for the Reds to select a manager based on past connections with the organization or current family ties in the front office. But it would be equally misguided to reject an otherwise qualified candidate because he does.

In this case, it would be a mistake for we fans to dismiss David Bell as an insider. Bell has had valuable recent experience with other organizations. For years, I’ve been clamoring for the Reds to pick-off a young coach who has worked closely with a successful analytics-emphasizing organization. David Bell fits that description.

One final, delicious morsel of speculative palace intrigue:

If the Reds front office is hamstrung by clashing ideas — from what to do about Scooter Gennett, Billy Hamilton, trades, free agents, etc. — it would be wonderful if David Bell proved to be a successful candidate for manager. One acceptable to ownership, Walt, Jocketty, Dick Williams and his analytics folks.

About The Author

Steve grew up in Cincinnati a die-hard fan of Sparky's Big Red Machine. After 25 years living outside of Ohio, mostly in Ann Arbor, he returned to the Queen City in 2004. Contemporary Reds thrills: witnessing Jay Bruce's 2010 homer and Homer Bailey's 2013 no-hitter in person. The only place to find Steve's thoughts of more than 280 characters about the Reds is Redleg Nation, although you can follow his tweets @spmancuso.

I came across The Athletic interview yesterday and came away with much the same view. Bell seems to be an old school guy with a new way view and a Cincinnati insider who has been around enough blocks to not really be the typical insider.

Bell also seems to be emerging as one of the hotter properties in the manager market.

John Fay wrote in the Enquirer today that Dick Williams said the Reds would “…probably get to the end of next week and see where we are,” There are different ways of interpreting that quote; but, to me it seems like he hopes to offer the job by that point. I think that is a smart move if he is looking to nab Bell or someone else who may also be involved with other teams.

Initially I completely dismissed him as a family/Cincinnati/familiar hire. His new mindset is certainly appealing but I think it is still a case of being underwhelmed in general by the external interview list so far. Hopefully they add in some coaches from playoff teams as they start to get eliminated.

I think that is a very cogent point. Castellini may accept him for one reason, while Williams wants something else. He may be the best “compromise” candidate. However, I wonder how many potential field managers will knowingly put up with what some of us perceive as Castellini’s interference in running the team on a daily basis.

If, as we suspect, Castellini meddles in baseball operations, it may require a new manager with stature to stand up to him, and this would best be done early in the tenure, maybe as a condiditon of accepting the job offer.

Bell does seem to have embraced information and analytics. He does have experience in what I would consider well run (at least recently) organizations. If the Reds make a typical Reds hire (younger relative of someone in FO or in the organization, formerly in this case) it seems they could do a lot worse. I’d like to know more about some of the other candidates.

The Reds front office could be rocked with turmoil this winter, and it won’t be only by roster decisions. This current federal investigation looking at free agent signings out of Latin America is going to closely examine the Reds signing of Aroldis Chapman. If Jocketty did something illegal to win over Chapman’s “agents” then it will come out in this investigation. Remember, that Chapman’s signing came out of the blue clear sky and left field. Many in baseball were surprised when the Reds procured Chapman’s signing and services. Also remember that there was some turmoil just after Chapman signed and it was about agent representation and it got ugly. Chapman even got some death threats.
Bell or Farrell, or Girardi, the Reds would best serve themselves by getting a manager named soon and start getting some heavy work completed before Jocketty brings down the front office. I just have a feeling that this is going to blow up big on the Reds front office, just as they are trying to turn the corner on this rebuild.
Do the Reds already know this? That the Chapman signing is being investigated and they have already been served subpoenas? I had wondered if the re-assignments of Buckley and Graupe earlier had anything to do with Farrell’s evaluations. Maybe not. But they may have more to do with this federal investigation. Buckley and his office would have been in charge of getting all the information on Chapman from scouting reports and evaluations to agent representation information, to making communications avenues with Chapman’s reps. And Graupe would have been in charge of Buckley and signed off on any dealings. Jocketty also was intimately involved with the Chapman process too.
Bell, Farrell or whoever, they need to get them on board soon.

What source do you have pointing to the Chapman deal being targeted? haven’t seen Chapman’s name mentioned in anything related to the investigation. Those articles don’t mention him.

It wouldn’t surprise me if there were some questions about it, but I think all those signings out of Cuba and Latin America probably occur in grey areas and border on illegal. It’s like thinking college sports is clean, we all know people are getting paid.

I interpreted David Bell’s comments as a whole lot of nothing: “I learn a lot more from the players than they are going to learn from me” coach speak with some points about keeping people fresh throughout the season detail.

I recall David Bell from a radio interview when he was here in Louisville in 2012 and was shocked by how uninspiring he was. I know baseball is not all rah-rah, but I’d like a manager who felt he had something to offer the players knowledge-wise and a personality that could help inspire their best.

David Bell may just be a dull interview. I don’t know. We’ve never met.

And dull isn’t necessarily a bad thing… I’ve listened to plenty of Craig Counsell post game interviews and radio snippits. Boooorrrrinng. But it works for them. Fits the mold around here. Ever here Paul Chryst speak as the Badgers head coach? That guy comes across with almost zero personality, and yet they win a lot too.

I hope, deeply, that we’re also discussing exciting additions to the roster. I caught the last two innings of last night’s Brewers–Rockies game, and realized that I had nearly forgotten how exciting baseball can be.

I believe Farrell was brought in this past season to be the Reds Mgr in Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ19. I could be wrong. I usually am, lol. In all seriousness, Farrell is only an insider because he was with the organization this past season. He was brought in to evaluate the org from top to bottom. From what I understand he is one of the better talent evaluators in the game. I like the idea that heÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s spent a season on the National League side, sense he had been an American League guy for so long. My point is that he was hired as an outsider, this past season, to come in and perform an unbiased evaluation of this org. He has recent experience and success as a Major League Mgr. The Reds need a winner to lead this team. Farrell has won a World Series as a Mgr. It could be a match.

The Reds need a manager that understands how baseball is played today. Old school style is worthless and provides little value to a team that is already well behind on a talent level.

A manager that is on the same page as management would be the preference, whatever that plan of management is.

As long as it is not Riggelman.

At the same time, not sure it matters whom the manager is with a front office that thinks they can run the same team out there next season and expect different results. Yet, that is apparently the plan

I’m struck by the humility in Bell’s interviews. I would imagine he would be well received by the players. I would have no objection if he were hired. But even though I gravitate to the statistics and analytics, the cultural fit is probably most important given baseball’s grinding schedule. For all the poor strategic decisions Dusty made, he knew how to relate to players and draw the best out of them. So to my surprise, I am hoping for one of the experienced managers like Girardi, Farrell, or Molitor.

After watching last night game between at Milwakee, I just can think that just a few seasons ago the Brewers were worse than the Reds and now they deploy such a good team in the field, with plenty of depth at all parts of the game, not to mention they got Yelich. Very effective and smooth management decisions translated into success, good for them.

After watching last night game at Milwakee, I just can think that just a few seasons ago the Brewers were worse than the Reds and now they deploy such a good team in the field, with plenty of depth at all parts of the game, not to mention they got Yelich. Very effective and smooth management decisions translated into success, good for them.

Yes. It’s looking to me as though all of you guys who were so high on Yelich were right. He would clearly have been a great addition to the Reds. They need pitching with him or without him, but they need the hitting he would provide, as well.

Lots of BBQ sauce. I eat my fair share. I still say we can’t judge the Yelich trade yet but initial results are maybe the Reds should have parted with Senzel, Trammell, and Lopez for him (basically Doug’s equivalent package to what Brewers gave up)

Tomato-based sauce, or vinegar? I agree that it’s hard to draw firm conclusions about the non-deal now, particularly since we have no idea what sorts of careers Senzel et al will have, but Yelich sure would look good in the Reds’ outfield.

I think Bell may have moved to the top of my list (which virtually guarantees he won’t get the job). Saw many say he was too “old school” for the job but that may just have been a leftover perception from his days in the Reds “old school” organization.

I can see him being a bridge between what seems to be the two warring factions in baseball operations which would be a very good thing.

One question on the timing of this – Williams has said he wants to name a manager by the end of the month. However, the World Series runs from 10/23 to 10/31. Doesn’t MLB frown on such decisions being announced during the World Series? So, it seems that they either have to be done and announce by 10/22 or wait until 11/1. Is that right?

To me David Bell would be a good hire. He is young enough to be able to better relate to today’s players and has worked in some other organizations that are into the analytical side. I agree don’t let his connection to the Reds eliminate him from consideration. I would however like to hear a little more about Brad Ausmus and how he think and Eduardo Perez. Even Farrell, other than he was fairly successful at Boston I don’t really know how he thinks in baseball philosophy.

David Bell might be a better General Manager for the Reds. Sounds like he understands player development. We were driving around one night listening to sports on WLW. Before we get to the main subject, we don’t drink or do drugs. Being honest, my hearing is not great. Someone was talking about a interview with the Reds owner. They said the Reds owner said next year they would have a record payroll. They needed to find some starting pitching. Talked like ownership had plans to spend big dollars on pitching. Didn’t read this anywhere. Just the radio. Was my hearing working that day. Written and posted by Larry Baker

David Bell would suit me just fine as manager of the Reds with his ‘new school’ analytics approach and wide experience. Another factor is his connection to Gus Bell, the Red’s smooth hitting centerfielder of the fifties.

Categories

Categories

Copyright RedlegNation.com. All Rights Reserved. RedlegNation.com is an independent news source and is not affiliated with the Cincinnati Reds, Major League Baseball, any of the Cincinnati Reds minor league affiliates or Minor League Baseball.